Process and apparatus for the removal of soft objects, especially cellulose tissues

ABSTRACT

A machine for forming and delivering cellulose tissues by cutting and folding several juxtaposed layers and then delivering the tissues to a collecting device. Means are provided for conveying tissues from the folding cylinders to a conveyor at one speed in horizontal position and delivering the formed tissues in a vertical position at a relatively lesser speed to the collecting device.

United States Patent [1 1 Schlagbauer et a1.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE REMOVAL OF SOFT OBJECTS, ESPECIALLY CELLULOSE TISSUES Inventors: Johann Schlagbauer, Otto M aul hardt, both of Schwaig; WerneFSchmittj-lroldslirg; all of Germany Assignee: Vereinigte Papierwerke Schickedanz & C0.

Filed: Oct. 29, 1971 Appl. No.: 193,866

Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 9, 1970 Germany P 20 60 498.2

US. Cl. 271/80 Int. Cl B65h 29/20 Field of Search 271/80, 69, 86;

[ Nov. 20, 1973 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,502,006 3/ 1970 Finke 271/69 2,421,874 6/1947 Fouse 271/86 3,283,882 11/1966 Conrad 198/190 Primary Examiner-Richard E. Aegerter Attorney-Islet & Omstein [5 7] ABSTRACT A machine for forming and delivering cellulose tissues by cutting and folding several juxtaposed layers and then delivering the tissues to a collecting device. Means are provided for conveying tissues from the folding cylinders to a conveyor at one speed in horizontal position and delivering the formed tissues in a vertical position at a relatively lesser speed to the collecting device.

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PM um 20 ms SHEET 10F 2 INVENTORS JOHANN SCHLAGBAUER By OTTO MAULHARDT WERNER SCHMITT Jab/L rm ATTORNEYS PATENTEDHUY 20 I973 SHEET EU? 2 INVENTORS JOHANN SCHLAGBAUER BY OTTO MAULHARDT WERNER SCHMlTT ATTORNEYS PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE REMOVAL OF SOFT OBJECTS, ESPECIALLY CELLULOSE I TISSUES The invention concerns a process for the removal of soft objects, especially cellulose tissues, folded together, which are delivered at high speed, as well as an apparatus for carrying out this process.

Cellulose tissues, especially handkerchiefs, are prepared, of course, in combined folding, stamping and cutting machines, by feeding continuously to the machine an endless line of material, which may consist of paper, tissue wadding or the like, and then suitably stamping, cutting and folding the sections together suitably in the machine. The material lines consist, as a rule, of several layers, arranged one above another, of the same or different composition, which are held together sufficiently firmly by the said stamping.

In machines which can process several lines parallel at the same time, the procedure is often to feed a line of corresponding width to the machine, stamp it suitably, then divide it lengthwise, and further process the long strips so prepared in the same way as usual in single-line machines The finished tissues, laid together, are theri e ollected by a suitable device and laid off in a ver tiieagl or horizontal position on a conveyor belt.

frlievices of this kind have been described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,047,710.

For increasing production speed of such machines, the idea is known of arranging several folding and cutting units on the circumference of the rolls. So as not to change the dimensions of the tissues to be prepared, it is necessary, of course, to increase the roll diameter and thus also the circumferential speed. A further increase of the production speed might also be attained if the RPM of the cylinder is increased. However, limits are set to such efforts by the fact that the foldedtogether tissues, at higher speed, can no longer be laid off on the conveyor belt, without deformation and damage, in a vertical position. To avoid this difficulty, apparatus has become known, in which the laying off takes place in a horizontal position/Apparatus of this kind is described, for example, in British Pat. No. 647,161.

This laying-off of the tissues in the horizontal position has several disadvantages, however. These consist, on the one hand, of the fact that the tissues must, as a rule., be routed to further processing, especially in packaging machines. Here, disturbances often occur which result in prolonged machine stops. The construction described in British Pat. No. 647,161 has also the disadvantage that the tissues must be laid off alternately with right and left-lying folding.

Devices of the kind described are also known in which, between the last folding cylinder and the counting and conveyor belt, on which the tissues are laid off in a vertical position, as intermediate conveyor belt is arranged, which has the purpose, on the one hand, of connecting the two machine units mentioned with each other, and which also serves on the other, hand, to turn the tissues, deposited in the horizontal position by the last folding cylinder, and deliver them vertical to the conveyor and counting belt. Devices of this kind, for example, have long been common in practice. Since, naturally, the intermediate conveyor belt must revolve at a speed which is equal to the circumferential speed of the last folding cylinder, there exist in constructions of this kind the same limitations as to speed increase as in the machines already described above. v

In this situation,'the problem exists of providing a process by which soft objects delivered at high speed, especially cellulose tissues folded together, can be laid off in a vertical position without suffering a deformation in this way.

According to the invention, this problem is solvedby the fact that the objects are first braked to a lower speed than the delivery speed, and then laid off. For carrying out this process, an apparatus is proposed which consists of at least one endless conveyor belt and a deposit cylinder turning in the same direction with the latter in use, on the circumference of which, in the known way, are several tangentially arranged deposit baskets. Means must be provided on the apparatus which lay off the objects at a predetermined distance on the conveyor belt; 'in the case of machines for the production of folded-together cellulose tissues, this is the last folding cylinder. According to the invention, the apparatus is distinguished by the fact that the circumferential speed V2 of the deposit cylinder is less than the revolving speed VI of the conveyor belt, and that the ratio of the speeds V1/V2 is equal to the ratio of the distance S1 of the end edges of the object to be laid off to the distance S2 of the line of the bottom of the deposit basket.

Such an apparatus may be realized constructively so that the deposit cylinder, on the one hand, and the tuming roll for the conveyor belt, on the other hand,

are arranged, rotatably independently of each other, on a common shaft, and that the diameter of the turning roll is smaller, at least by the amount of the thickness of the conveyor belt, than the diameter of the deposit cylinder. With this arrangement, the tissues are first carried, with the aid of the rapid-running conveyor belt, up to the deposit cylinder, taken over there by the slower-running deposit baskets, and braked to a lower speed. The conveyor belts are no longer disturbed in this way, since because of the difference in diameter, already mentioned, they now disappear under the surface of the deposit cylinder. The difference in speed between the conveyor belt, on the one hand, and the deposit baskets, on the other, may be set so that a deformation of the tissues here will surely not occur. The tissues, moving on at lower speed now, are in turn laid off on the last conveyor and counting belt, while again the retardation is set at a value which prevents a deformation of the tissues.

The invention will be explainedin detail below with reference to the attached drawing.

FIG. I shows a schematic longitudinal section through an apparatus for carrying out the process of the invention; and

FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of the top view 'of this apparatus.

In the left part of FIG. 1 are represented at l, 2'and 3, first of all, three folding and cutting cylinders of a machine for the production of folded-together cellulose tissues, especially handkerchiefs. A material line 4 is continuously fed by these cylinders, the rate of feeding of the line corresponding to the circumferential speed of the cylinder. I

Clamping devices 5 are built into the mantle of the cylinder in the known way, which have the task of folding the material line crosswise. The diagram shows that in the machine represented, four suchclamping devices are set into each cylinder.

Cutting knives 6 are also set into the mantle surface of the cylinders, which in turning, cooperate with the correspondingly arranged cutting edges 7 of the respective opposite cylinder, and separate the line there. Finally, in the mantle surface of the cylinder are also projections 8, which in each case have the task of pushing the line into the open gap of the clamping, device 5, after which the clamping device closes and holds the line fast with the formation of the desired folding. The projections 8, in each case, slide out of the clamping device just before the clamping fast of the line, a device which can be so precisely prepared that damage to the line can surely be prevented.

The device is represented in Fig. 1 in a position in 'which the line 4, continuously fed to its folding place 9, has just been clamped fast by one of the clamping devices 5. The turning of the cylinder has not yet gone far enough for the fast-clamped end to have already been cut off from the continuously flowing belt. This takes place only when the turning has proceeded further and the next knife 6 can cooperate with the cutting edge 7. In the lower part of the folding and cutting cylinder 2 is represented another line section 10, which has already been fully separated from the line 4, and which at the moment is held fast by the folding and cutting cylinder 2. On further turning, this line section 10 comes into a position in which it is in the position shown of the line section 11. This section 11 has just been taken over by a clamping device 5 of the cylinder 3, and folded together once. it has, as soon as this production section is concluded, the form of the line section 12 shown, and is thus in the end-of-production condition.

FIG. 1 shows that the line sections 12 fulfill two conditions: They occur at a distance from each other that corresponds to the distance of the clamping devices 5 in the mantle of the cylinder 3, and on the other hand, they occur at an advance speed which corresponds to the circumferential speed of the cylinder 3 and thus also to the circumferential speed of the cylinders 1 and 2. If the machine speed and thus the turning speed of the cylinder and the advancing speed of the foldedtogether line section 12 are to be increased to profitable values, the line sections 12 cannot be laid off from the conveyor belt 13 which follows, and deposited in the vertical position, at this speed, without deformation. According to the invention therefore it is proposed that the line sections first be braked to lower, harmless speeds, which take place, in the example shown, through the apparatus 14, constructed according to the invention.

The apparatus 14 consists mainly of the deposit cylinder 15 and the conveyor belts 16 and 16'. To make possible the braking of the line sections 12 to be deposited, the deposit cylinder 15 must turn at a lower speed than the conveyor belts l6 and 16". This is attained by the fact that the conveyor belts 16 and 16' are driven, on the one hand, by thecylinder 3 and on the other hand, run on the turning pulleys 17, 17, which are supported independently of the deposit cylinder 15.'ln the form of execution shown, this is realized by the fact that the turning pulleys 17, 17 with interposition of bearings 18, I8, are arranged rotatably on the shaft 19 supported on bearing 22. The rotation speed of the shaft- 19 has therefore no'influence on the rotation speed of situated in the mantle surface of the cylinder 3. The

grooves have a depth which corresponds to the thickness of the conveyor belts, so that it is assured that the turning speedof the belts is equalto the circumferential speed of the cylinder 3. The driving of the'cylinder 3 may take place through the shaft 2"],for example,' but other kinds of driving are also possible. v

The deposit cylinder 15 is rigidlysupported on the shaft 19 and is driven with the latter. For this, belt pulleys may be used, for example, but differently constructed kinds of drive may be realized.-

The conveyor belts l6, 16 are guided over rolls 23, also, for stabilization purposes, which in turn may be coupled, for example, through a cog belt 24, with the cylinder 3. The rolls 23 and the cog belt 24 are omitted in FIG. 2.

For the stretching of the conveyor belts 16, 16, an adjustable tension roll 25 is arranged, in the known way, which rests in a bearing stand 26.

To attain a sure guiding of the objects to be carried and braked, endless cover belts 27 are provided which are guided over turning rolls 28 and 28', and may be driven, for example, through the roll 28'. The roll 28', in turn, is coupled, through a cogwheel gear 29 with the deposit cylinder 15 or the shaft 19. For the stretching of the cover belt 27 is used the tension roll 30, which is only indicated schematically in the drawing.

The deposit cylinder 15 has on its mantle surface deposit baskets 31, which serve to receive the objects delivered from the conveyor belts and to brake them to a lower speed, The deposit baskets 31 consist, in the simplest case, of several finger-like rods, which are arranged tangentially on the surface of the deposit cylinder 15 and fastened there. In principle, it suffices for each tissue to be deposited when two such rods are arrangedside by side; to increase the stability, however, several rods are provided. So that the objects deposited in the baskets 31 will not be damaged by the fasterrunning conveyor belts 16, 16', the diameter of the turning pulleys17, 17 is somewhat less than the diameter of the deposit cylinder 15, so that the conveyor belt will disappear under the surface of the deposit cylinder 15.

Connected to the deposit cylinder 15 is arranged the conveyor belt 13, which is constructed in a manner known per se, and can cooperate, for example, with a device 32, which has the purpose of gathering a particular predetermined number of tissues, such as ten, twenty, or the-like, into individual packets.

In the operation of the apparatus according to themvention, the following three values are established by construction and mode of operation:

1. The distance, which corresponding points of the line sections 12, for example, the end edges 33, have from each other.

2. The distance which corresponding points of the deposit baskets 31, for example, the bottom lines 34,

have from each other.

3. The turning speed VI of the conveyor belts 16,

For proper operation of the apparatus, the circumferential speed V2 of the deposit cylinder 15 must be so set that the condition vertical position, especially folded-together cellulose tissues which are delivered at a high speed, then braked to a lower speed than the delivery speed, and then deposited; said apparatus consisting of at least one endless conveyor belt movable at a high linear speed, means for depositing said objects with their leading edges in predetermined uniformly spaced relation to each other onto said conveyor belt, a deposit cylinder rotatable in the same direction as the direction of movement of said conveyor belt, but at a lesser peripheral speed than the linear speed of the conveyor belt, said deposit cylinder having mounted on the periphery thereof circumferentially spaced deposit baskets disposed substantially tangentially to said periphery and adapted to receive the objects delivered from said conveyor belt, said baskets having bottoms spaced uniformly about the periphery of said deposit cylinder, the ratio of the linear speed of the conveyor belt to the peripheral speed of the deposit cylinder being equal to the ratio of the spacing of the leading edges of the objects from each other to the spacing of said basket bottoms from each other, including a drive shaft for driving said deposit cylinder, a pulley for said conveyor belt, said pulley being mounted on and rotatable about the axis of said drive shaft but driven independently of said drive shaft, the diameter of said pulley being smaller than the diameter of said deposit cylinder to an extent at least equal to the thickness of the conveyor belt.

2. Apparatus for depositing soft objects in a vertical position, especially folded together cellulose tissues which are delivered at high speed, than braked to a lower speed than the delivery speed, and then deposited; said apparatus consisting of at least one endless conveyor belt, means for moving said conveyor belt at a relatively high linear speed, means for positioning said objects with their leading edges in predetermined uniformly spaced relation to each other onto said conveyor belt, a shaft, a deposit cylinder fixedly mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, means freely mounted on said shaft in non-obstructing relation with said cylinder supporting said conveyor belt and rotatable therewith, means for rotating said shaft and cylinder in the same direction as the direction of movement of said conveyor belt and at a lesser speed than the linear speed of said conveyor belt, said deposit cylinder having mounted on the periphery thereof circumferentially spaced deposit baskets deposited tangentially to said periphery and adapted to respectively receive the objects delivered from said conveyor belt, said baskets having bottoms spaced uniformly about the periphery of said deposit cylinder to receive sequentially the respective leading edges of said objects when moved by said conveyor belt at a relatively higher speed in said uniformly spaced relation, thereby reducing the speed of said objects as they are received in said deposit baskets to be turned by the deposit cylinder in position to be deposited in vertical position. 

1. Apparatus for the depositing of soft objects in a vertical position, especially folded-together cellulose tissues which are delivered at a high speed, then braked to a lower speed than the delivery speed, and then deposited; said apparatus consisting of at least one endless conveyor belt movable at a high linear speed, means for depositing said objects with their leading edges in predetermined uniformly spaced relation to each other onto said conveyor belt, a deposit cylinder rotatable in the same direction as the direction of movement of said conveyor belt, but at a lesser peripheral speed than the linear speed of the conveyor belt, said deposit cylinder having mounted on the periphery thereof circumferentially spaced deposit baskets disposed substantially tangentially to said periphery and adapted to receive the objects delivered from said conveyor belt, said baskets having bottoms spaced uniformly about the periphery of said deposit cylinder, the ratio of the linear speed of the conveyor belt to the peripheral speed of the deposit cylinder being equal to the ratio of The spacing of the leading edges of the objects from each other to the spacing of said basket bottoms from each other, including a drive shaft for driving said deposit cylinder, a pulley for said conveyor belt, said pulley being mounted on and rotatable about the axis of said drive shaft but driven independently of said drive shaft, the diameter of said pulley being smaller than the diameter of said deposit cylinder to an extent at least equal to the thickness of the conveyor belt.
 2. Apparatus for depositing soft objects in a vertical position, especially folded together cellulose tissues which are delivered at high speed, than braked to a lower speed than the delivery speed, and then deposited; said apparatus consisting of at least one endless conveyor belt, means for moving said conveyor belt at a relatively high linear speed, means for positioning said objects with their leading edges in predetermined uniformly spaced relation to each other onto said conveyor belt, a shaft, a deposit cylinder fixedly mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, means freely mounted on said shaft in non-obstructing relation with said cylinder supporting said conveyor belt and rotatable therewith, means for rotating said shaft and cylinder in the same direction as the direction of movement of said conveyor belt and at a lesser speed than the linear speed of said conveyor belt, said deposit cylinder having mounted on the periphery thereof circumferentially spaced deposit baskets deposited tangentially to said periphery and adapted to respectively receive the objects delivered from said conveyor belt, said baskets having bottoms spaced uniformly about the periphery of said deposit cylinder to receive sequentially the respective leading edges of said objects when moved by said conveyor belt at a relatively higher speed in said uniformly spaced relation, thereby reducing the speed of said objects as they are received in said deposit baskets to be turned by the deposit cylinder in position to be deposited in vertical position. 